Education is an essential part of patient care and is an integral part of our profession. Regretfully, in the midst of an extensive “to do” list, time is of the essence and relating to the needs of our patients is challenging. Moreover, our patients remain in-patient for shorter stays, they are managing extensive chronic illnesses, and they have a greater need for instruction and information related to their disease process.
So how do we, as nursing professionals, educate our patients effectively? Taking these factors into consideration will support a fruitful educational exchange:
Table of Contents
– Outline the patient’s educational needs.
The first step is to evaluate the key components of the treatment plan. But this does not demand complexity; at the time of admission, for instance, education means teaching the patient how to use the call bell and/or to operate the television. Then, the specific teaching begins once the diagnosis is presented and the treatment is outlined.
– Provide a hospitable learning environment.
This is especially true in the in-patient setting. With all of the distractions of the hospital, it may be difficult to find somewhere that is free from excess noise, disruption, is private and conducive to learning. There should be few disruptions, the temperature should be appropriate, the patient should be neither hungry nor thirsty, and the time of day should be appropriate. It is important to also remember that dealing with a change in lifestyle and/or managing a chronic illness can be overwhelming, hence tenderness, empathy, reinforcement, and patience on our behalf is essential.
– Assess the patient’s motivation prior to embarking on a teaching plan.
With the best plan in place, no learning will happen if your client is wholly unmotivated. Remembering that illness, fatigue, depression and anxiety are all factors in motivation toward learning. They can also be readily present in a health care setting. Working with the patient and the patient’s family and team of health care givers to help promote the motivation to learn is essential.
– Patients should have an input in the process.
If the patient is a child or teenager, he or she might want or need a caregiver or parent to be present. Or, if the patient is elderly, a caregiver’s presence might be warranted.
– Establish a baseline of knowledge.
As an educator and a nurse, it is necessary to first establish a baseline of knowledge. What does the client already know? What are their needs? This will, obviously, vary from person to person, but each plan is individualized. When developing a teaching curriculum, no underlying assumptions should be made.
– Assess the preferred learning style.
Consider the patient’s preferred learning style, for example, is he or she an auditory or visual learner? And, it’s equally important to consider the jargon in written material if providing handouts to the patient. Some of the terminology might not be easily understood.
Based on this information, it sounds as if patient education, patient learning and patient compliance should be a given. However, there are barriers that make education challenging, and these considerations are also warranted when teaching:
– Absorb the patient’s input.
It is important for the patient to have a voice in the teaching plan and, as nurses, we can facilitate the dialogue. Patients and their families should be involved in the learning process, and they should be able to guide their learning. As they provide input, it is likely that they will be retain more information and be more motivated.
– Consider any cultural or religious beliefs and practices.
The patient’s culture, socioeconomic status, and related practices also warrant consideration. As the patient’s advocate, it is important to assess any beliefs or practices that would interfere with the client’s learning or the way in which material is presented.
– Break-up and revisit material.
If the topic is new, overwhelming or life changing, absorbing material can be extremely difficult. A newly diagnosed diabetic has an enormous amount to learn, as does the patient on anticoagulation therapy. The complexity and depth of information this patient needs to know is overwhelming and life altering. Sitting down to do it all at once can be overwhelming. Hence, it is helpful to do the teaching in small bits and pieces, and to revisit the material.
– Be resourceful.
There are times when the patient’s needs outreach our own experience and ability. Utilize the specialists that are part of the treatment plan: social workers, diabetic educators, nutritionists, respiratory therapists, etc. can also be instrumental in the teaching process.
– Learn to evaluate.
There are plenty of ways to evaluate what the patient has learned from the teaching you provided. Asking questions regarding identified goals, having the patient do a return demo on any skills they learned or having the patient return the teaching to you are all great ways to evaluate the process.
– Understand to document properly.
Meticulous nursing documentation is an essential part of patient teaching. Describing what information was covered, what resources were used, and the needs for further teaching are necessary. This allows other members of the treatment plan to follow the lead and to effectively continue in the education process.
It is equally helpful to remember that every scenario is different. A pediatric patient’s needs will differ tremendously from those of an adult, for example, and each patient has a different set of circumstances and a different support network. These suggestions offer strategies for us to become more effective and productive educators in patient care. Using these concepts to navigate your way through the teaching process will help make you a more effective and productive teacher.